Lot
280

[SWAN, Joseph]. WEST, Edward. Original watercolors for: SWAN, Joseph (1791-1874). A Demonstration of the Nerves of the Human Body. London: Longman, 1834. 37 original watercolors for 23 plates (of 25, lacks illustrations for plates 16 and 22). This group includes all 17 original watercolors (each approximately 540 x 415 mm) for plates with 1-3 large subjects and 20 original watercolors for plates with two or more subjects (each approximately 255 x 200 mm and 165 x 120 mm), and a set of 25 loose engraved plates for the 1834 quarto edition, all housed in two large cloth folding cases.

Price realisedUSD 28,680

EstimateUSD 6,000 - USD 8,000

[SWAN, Joseph]. WEST, Edward. Original watercolors for: SWAN, Joseph (1791-1874). A Demonstration of the Nerves of the Human Body. London: Longman, 1834. 37 original watercolors for 23 plates (of 25, lacks illustrations for plates 16 and 22). This group includes all 17 original watercolors (each approximately 540 x 415 mm) for plates with 1-3 large subjects and 20 original watercolors for plates with two or more subjects (each approximately 255 x 200 mm and 165 x 120 mm), and a set of 25 loose engraved plates for the 1834 quarto edition, all housed in two large cloth folding cases.

ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS FOR THE MOST SPLENDID ATLAS OF NEUROANATOMY EVER PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND. Initially issued in imperial folio in 1830, Swan's was the largest and most splendidly produced atlas of neuroanatomy ever published in English; however, on account of the great expense of the work, it was necessary to re-issue it in quarto to reach a larger audience. The plates were re-engraved by Finden, one of the original engravers for the folio. The illustrations are in some respects still unsurpassed for beauty and accuracy. Garrison/McHenry 520, citing quarto edition.

[With]: Collection of 54 original watercolors, comprising 20 large subjects (each approximately 535 x 370 mm) and 34 smaller subjects (190 x 115 mm and 370 x 330 mm) by West; housed in two large cloth folding cases. Numerous watercolors are representations of Swan's dissections of animals for his book Illustrations of the Comperative Anatomy of the Nervous System. London: Longman [and others], 1835. The illustrations include watercolors of nerves of the human body, and of calf, pelican, sheep, fish and others animals. They are equally splendid as the above and were probably drawn by West for the Comperative Anatomy and other book publications by Swan. Virtually nothing is know of West, apart from a note on one of the drawings, identifying him as being, like Swan, from Lincoln. (4)